Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Major opposition parties – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) – Thursday advised the government to take the ongoing protests against the acquittal of Asia Bibi by the Supreme Court in a high-profile blasphemy case ‘seriously’, as the National Assembly, while setting aside the routine agenda, took up the matter for discussion.

Speaking in the House, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said his party believed in the supremacy of democracy and law. A joint strategy is required to deal with the current situation, he said, and asked what steps had been taken by the government to maintain law and order in the country after the court verdict. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan and other political parties should express a responsible attitude and fulfil their duties.

“What steps are being taken to maintain law and order? What steps are being taken to protect our judges? What steps are being taken to protect Asia Bibi?” he asked. “There is no one here to answer our questions,” he lamented, regretting that Prime Minister Imran Khan – who is also the interior minister – was not present in the parliament.

“My grandfather, my uncles, my mother, Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, federal minister for minorities, all were assassinated,” he said. “I appeal to all the political parties to show some responsibility. We cannot afford any more tragedies,” he said. “We need our prime minister, we need our interior minister, to do his job,” he added.

“I do not share some of our opposition party members’ criticisms of the prime minister’s speech. I expected him to deliver a speech today along the lines of what he said yesterday, and for me to be able say: Qadam barhayen, Imran Khan, hum tumharay saath hain (Go on, Imran Khan, we are with you). We are with democracy, we are with justice, and we are with rule of law,” Bilawal said.

Bilawal’s statement came following PPP leader Khursheed Shah’s remarks who was critical of the prime minister’s address to the nation, saying his body language was ‘too aggressive’. “There was violence in his tone. You cannot bring peace with this tone,” he added.

Shah said the prime minister had repeated the words uttered by the leaders of TLP, which were not shown by the media. “The kind of language used against institutions cannot be repeated. He [PM Khan] told the whole world what the media had been hiding; it was good that media was not showing all this [protests] as they have the sense that it will not be good for the country. But social media is showing everything,” he said. Further criticising PM Khan over his address, Shah said that yesterday, the tone of the premier was aggressive.

Shah’s sentiments were echoed by PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique, who advised the government to avoid use of force against the protesters. He said the religion card that was used against the previous government was now being used once again. “We watched the address of Prime Minister Imran Khan … his body language was looking quite firm … and it shouldn’t be that way,” he remarked. “We don’t want democracy to be affected in any case, he said.

Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi said it was the State’s responsibility to protect and respect all the religions and schools of thought. He said all religions and thoughts would be protected in ‘Naya Pakistan’. “It is the State’s responsibility to protect and respect all places of worships, all religions, all thoughts. This is the attitude that will prevail in Naya Pakistan,” he said. The minister emphasized that it was the parliament’s responsibility to assess all attitudes and keep humanity above all considerations. “It’s only when all of Pakistan is united that our external issues, national interests and key stakes will be protected,” he said.

Referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s address to the nation, Afridi said the speech had a message. “The message was: there will be no compromise on the rule of law. Nobody needs a certificate from anyone. Nobody will dictate anyone in this country,” he said, adding that there had been an attempt to form a state within a state in the name of religion. “We will not let anyone challenge the writ of the state in Naya Pakistan.”

Afridi informed the lawmakers that the government was in talks with the religio-political parties. “The nation will soon hear good news.”

He lauded Bilawal Bhutto for standing with Prime Minister Imran Khan at a time when complete unity was needed. “I laud Bilawal for not engaging in political point-scoring. He made it clear that there should be no compromise on the rule of law,” the minister remarked.

Addressing the House, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood slammed Khursheed Shah for ‘playing politics’ instead of standing behind Prime Minister Imran Khan in his resolve to keep the writ of the state intact. “Imran Khan is the first ever leader to take [such a] strong stance in Pakistan’s history. Nobody spoke out in the past, Imran Khan addressed [220 million] people with bravery and reaffirmed the writ of the state,” he said. “This is not about the government, this is about the state. Instead of praising the PM’s stance [against the agitators], instead of condemning those who mocked the institutions, you chose to play politics for small gains,” he said.

The minister stressed that it was the government’s responsibility to maintain law and order. “The state’s writ was challenged, the law and order situation was challenged. Unfortunately, politics was played on the Supreme Court’s judgment,” he lamented. “Instead of doing politics, it is a very good opportunity to come together, to unite,” he added.

Published in Daily Times, November 2^nd 2018.